Epos Now vs. Clover

The Epos Now interfaces for the terminal and back-office are both straightforward and easy to use.

The terminal interface is designed in a fairly traditional way, with a left-hand pop-up sidebar for accessing analytics, customer management, and checkout. Users add products via a “block” menu. During checkout, it is possible to select customer profiles, process discounts, add customer credit, and so on.

The back-office dashboard, which is accessed via a browser (and can also be used to process sales), follows a similar layout. Users can select options from a navbar on the left of the screen which provides access to “Setup”, “Management”, “Reporting”, “Support”, “Integrations”, and so on.

If you’re looking for a system that is easy to use but doesn’t sacrifice functionality, then Epos Now is well worth giving a go.

"Cloud-based solution that can work on any device and any operating system."

"I like that it is user friendly and the back office functions make my paperwork so much easier to navigate."

"What I like most about the product is the simplistic layout."

Both the Clover POS interface and the back-office are intuitive and easy to use. The register dashboard follows a relatively typical design, with a homepage menu with tabs for the register, orders, tables, refunds, etc. Product options can then be selected from a range of “block” options (or by using the barcode scanner).

The back office dashboard is designed in a similar way, with a left-hand menu providing access to dedicated areas for reporting, inventory management, customer details, employee permissions, and so on.

All in all, we found that Clover was a nicely-designed and straightforward platform. It’s also possible to carry out many advanced functions directly on the POS stations.

“Clover has been an excellent option for taking payments in my stores.”

“I love how easy it is to use clover for grab and go, sit down service, or retail services.”

“Clover is so easy to set up.”

We were very impressed with the feature-set from Epos Now. It’s an excellent POS solution for small and medium-sized businesses, with comprehensive checkout, inventory management, and analytics functionality. Users also have access to a large integrations library, a number of well-priced hardware packages, and 24/7 customer support.

Epos Now is compatible with iPad and Android tablets. Alternatively, you can use a tailor-made branded terminal. The back-office is accessed via a desktop computer (through which it is also possible to process sales). It is a fully cloud-based solution.

Inventory management tools include automated stock notifications and purchase orders, barcode scanning, bundled products, and ecommerce integrations. The customizable analytics dashboard, which is updated in real-time, provides a full overview of sales activity.

Additional features include “click and collect” and delivery tools, integration with a number of different payment providers, omnichannel reporting, tableside ordering, menu management, and more.

On the negative side of things, larger enterprises should be aware that more advanced features, such as self-order kiosks, in-depth reporting, warehouse management, etc., are not available. If you are looking for something more “heavy-duty”, other providers should be considered, although it still may be worth getting in touch to ask about enterprise plans.

Clover has everything you would expect in a point-of-sale system, along with a number of additional benefits that you find with competitors. Clover is also suitable for a range of business types, including retailers, takeaways, and restaurants. Main features include inventory management, barcode scanning, payment processing, employee management, analytics, customer profiles, and a large library of integrations. For businesses that are eager to build an integrated, automated tech stack, Clover is an option that’s well worth considering because of its large app library, it’s just important to remember to account for costs from third-party providers.

Five main hardware packages are available: “Go”, “Mini”, “Flex”, “Station”, and “Station Pro”. “Go” is a slimmed-down package which is made up of a card reader and a mobile app which is compatible with Android and iOS. “Mini”, which costs $749, is the lowest-level full POS system and has extra functionality including a full-feature interface and barcode scanning. The “Station Pro” package is the premium package and includes a printer, customer terminal, and cash register.

Epos Now has an extensive integrations library of over eighty apps, likely because it’s easy for developers to build integrations and add them to the “AppStore”. One point worth mentioning, however, is that users may have to pay extra for additional functionality.

Most bases are covered when it comes to accounting, ecommerce (Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, etc.), loyalty programs, payments, and marketing. Notably, several niche apps for businesses in the hospitality space are provided, allowing for the use of kitchen screens, loyalty programs, menu planning, and more.

Finally, a Zapier integration means that users can integrate with third-party tools that aren’t natively supported.

Apps are accessible through the user interface once you’ve subscribed. Full information about all the integrations available isn’t published online. You should check directly if the apps you need are supported (and ask about additional costs) during the demo stage.

When it comes to integrations, Clover really shines. It has one of the most extensive app libraries of any solution that we’ve reviewed. Users have access to an array of third-party connectors in categories such as accounting, customer management, ecommerce, payroll, and more. There are also many niche apps that can be leveraged to help with tasks like fundraising, hiring, and time-management.

Despite the variety of apps on offer, however, there are a few downsides. The big one is that Clover doesn’t integrate with any third-party payment processors. If you opt to use Clover, you will have to use their in-house solution. This is likely part of the reason that Clover can offer such a low monthly subscription for its software. Also keep in mind that using apps from external providers will carry extra costs.

Direct integrations for ecommerce include Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, and Ecwid. It’s also possible to connect with most well-known ecommerce platforms that aren’t directly supported through intermediary integrations like Kosmos. On the accounting front, both Quickbooks and Xero are supported.

If you’re eager to build an integrated, fully-synced tach stack, Clover is definitely a solution worth considering. Just remember to allow for additional costs from third-party providers.

Epos Now doesn’t publish extensive pricing information on its site, so you will need to get in touch directly to discuss options. Plans start at $49/month, with discounts for annual subscriptions and additional fees for extra registers. Epos Now offers customizable enterprise plans for larger businesses.

There is also a lower-priced “Epos Pocket” plan, which costs $44/month and allows users to take payments from a small handheld device.

In terms of payment processing, Epos Now integrates with several services, so fees and charges may vary.

Judging value for money is a little tricky when it comes to Clover. Rather than provide tiered packages for its software based on sales or the number of registers, Clover offers a flat-rate subscription which costs $9.95 per month. Users then have the option to purchase one of a selection of branded hardware packages. All payments are processed with Clover’s in-house solution at 3.5% + 10 cents per keyed-in transaction. This drops to 2.7% + 10 cents if you decide to use a Clover device.

Numerous hardware options are available, across a variety of price-points, from a simple card reader that syncs with a mobile phone to a comprehensive cash register, printer, and user dashboard.

Epos Now provides 24/7 customer support via live chat. One-on-one onboarding training is included on all plans, making it an excellent choice for smaller businesses with limited technical experience. Users also have access to community forums and an interactive “product tour”.

On the downside, we did feel that the online help documentation could be more detailed. And there have been some negative reviews of customer service response times.

Clover provides 24/7 support via phone and email. Users can access country-specific numbers for helplines from their device or back-office dashboards. User reviews of Clover’s customer service are generally very good, although some issues with slow response times were cited. Help with installation and onboarding training is available through third-party provider CompuCom.

Overall, we were very impressed with Epos Now. It’s an excellent solution for small and medium companies in the retail and hospitality sectors. It provides all the functionality required to run an integrated, user-friendly, and inexpensive point-of-sale system. The hardware packages are also among the best-priced that we’ve seen, and all customers have access to 24/7 support along with onboarding training.

If you’re thinking about opting for Epos Now, be sure to take advantage of the free demo. You should also ensure that there won’t be any hidden costs for integrations.

We were very impressed with Clover. It operates a unique pricing model, with a low-priced monthly subscription for software but the requirement to purchase a branded Clover hardware package to gain full access to all features. Users also have to process payments with Clover’s in-house solution.

Small and medium-sized restaurants, takeaways, and retailers will find a lot to like from the intuitive, streamlined solution. In many cases, it will be the most cost-effective option available. The large app library is also one of the best we’ve come across, and will appeal to businesses that want to build an integrated tech stack.

If you’re thinking about giving Clover a test-run, you can take advantage of a free one-month trial.